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NASCAR Is at a Crossroads

In 2014, NASCAR introduced its elimination format for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, with one simple mantra to qualify: win one of the first 26 races, and you’re in.

It doesn’t matter how you do it.

Entering Sunday’s (August 12) Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway 32nd in points, Austin Dillon needed a win — a win that he had wrapped up until Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Preece crashed with two laps to go.

Dillon got outfoxed by Joey Logano on the overtime restart, and the No. 22 Ford was clear to the lead by the time the leaders took the white flag. For Dillon, that surefire ticket to the playoffs was dwindling away by the second. And as Logano approached the final set of corners, Dillon had one of two choices: settle for second or do anything necessary to cross first.

As we all know, he chose the latter.

Nearly four corners behind Logano as he entered turn 3, Dillon went full send into the corner, getting into the back of and spinning out Logano. Dillon had to check up to avoid crashing himself, and that allowed third-place Denny Hamlin to scoot through on the inside. That is until Dillon pulled a left out of turn 4 and sent Hamlin into the outside fence to keep the lead.

It took wrecking not one, but two drivers out of the lead for Dillon to win the race, but it counts all the same. He took the checkered flag and punched his ticket for the 2024 Cup playoffs.

It doesn’t matter how you do it, and it’s something Dillon knows damn well himself.

See also
The Big 6: Questions Answered After Austin Dillon Bashes His Way to Richmond Win

The beauty of NASCAR is that contact isn’t as restricted as in other forms of motorsport. Rubbing’s racing, the bump and run, you name it. They’re all textbook moves that have been used throughout the history of NASCAR.

But when contact is allowed, those dreaded judgment calls are a necessity. Bumping and moving a driver is one thing, but wrecking two drivers in one turn is another.

If there is a line, it got crossed on Sunday.

It’s not even how the finish unfolded, but rather how blatant it is from the top down. Dillon had to throw caution into turn 3 to even make contact with Logano’s bumper, and after spinning him out, the No. 3’s spotter tells Dillon to wreck the fast-approaching No. 11 of Hamlin. The SMT data shows that Dillon made a pivotal left turn of the steering wheel at the moment that Hamlin got hooked into the outside wall.

And when team owner Richard Childress was asked about the “wreck him” comment from the spotter during the post-race media availability, he first denied that it was ever said.

As one could imagine, both Logano and Hamlin were absolutely heated after the finish.

The same goes for Logano’s crew chief Paul Wolfe and Hamlin’s crew chief Chris Gabehart.

Sure, neither Hamlin nor Logano have squeaky clean driving records of their own, but that doesn’t change how blatantly obvious Dillon’s actions were.

Nevertheless, Dillon did nothing wrong in regard to the current rules. He needed a win, and he got it. It didn’t matter if he won by three seconds or if he needed to play bumper cars on the final lap. He got it. And when there are lax standards on what constitutes aggressive driving and crossing a line, drivers are going to keep pushing the envelope for as long as they can.

See also
Thinkin’ Out Loud at Richmond: A Right Hook is a Right Hook

But that line needs to be drawn somewhere. If a finish like this is okay, then what does that say about the racing etiquette of NASCAR for drivers rising through the ranks? And if a finish like this is okay, what would stop a Championship 4 driver from crashing his three opponents at Phoenix Raceway in November?

The reality is that moves like Dillon’s would warrant a penalty in any international motorsport series and most short track and dirt track divisions across the country. Even iRacing was poking fun at Dillon’s actions and how Sunday’s race ended.

Between the continuing decline of racing etiquette and the notion that a driver could do far worse to win the championship at Phoenix without penalty, NASCAR is at a crossroads.

During this week’s penalty report, NASCAR will either admit that Dillon crossed a line at Richmond and that some actions need to be penalized, or it will continue the status quo where any and all contact is legal, and that it’s up to the drivers to keep pushing the envelope with aggressive and dirty driving for the win.

The ball is now in NASCAR’s court, and the sanctioning body has to decide which path it will take.

About the author

Stephen Stumpf is the NASCAR Content Director for Frontstretch and is a three-year veteran of the site. His weekly columns include “Stat Sheet” and “4 Burning Questions.” He also writes commentary, contributes to podcasts, edits articles and is frequently at the track for on-site coverage.

Can find on Twitter @stephen_stumpf.

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14 Comments
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MarkM

While I agree with you about Dillon’s actions, my biggest gripe is the absurd “win & you’re in” aspect. There no way that anybody in 32nd place in points, (especially this late in the regular season), deserves to be in the playoffs, I don’t care who they are.

Marshall

Nobody who’s 16th or 12th or probably even 8th in points with 10 races to go deserves to have a sniff at the championship.

B.E.

For me, this one is quite simple. I have been a NASCAR fan for over 40 years, since I was a child. If Dillon and RCR are allowed to keep a playoff spot, I will be at a minimum taking a break from the sport, and may not return. What happened Sunday night is not racing. I am not a fan of either driver who was wrecked (Logano, Hamlin). If this result stands, it means NASCAR is no longer a sport based upon talent, but rather aggression and a form of entertainment akin to WWE wrestling.

I watch to see amazing talent, and yes, I do enjoy the aggressiveness within NASCAR. But this is miles beyond where any line should be drawn. I was not a fan of Earnhardt Sr. back in the day, but he never did anything approaching this level of bumper car insanity. This isn’t bump and run, this isn’t “trying to rattle his cage”. This is demolition derby.

If this stands, it means the racing and talent mean next to nothing. It’s all about lining up a crash to get a result. Though NASCAR Cup has generally been my favorite series since the days of Bobby Allison, there are plenty of other racing series I follow, and opting to discontinue watching NASCAR will in no way have a meaningful impact upon my life.

Your move, NASCAR. Possibly I’m the only one who feels this way, and the sport will not see a negative impact. I suspect not, but that won’t impact my decision either way.

MICHAEL H CARTER

So It was OK for DALE EARNHARDT to do the very same thing to win most of his races but NASCAR SAIN NOTHING!!!!!!

B.E.

I’d recommend you read the article Amy Henderson posted here yesterday. It’s quite insightful as to the differences between Earnhardt’s conduct back then, and what transpired yesterday. These are not the same thing. And again, I am one who could not stand seeing Earnhardt win.

Marshall

I think there is precedent for a penalty that would keep Austin Dillon out of the playoffs. He can keep the win- NASCAR has only ever taken away one win for contact that I’m aware of (Ricky Rudd spinning Dave Allison at Sonoma in ’91?) and everyone hates that penalty. However Dillon’s right hook on Denny Hamlin warrants the same penalty given to Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliot over the last couple years, a one-race suspension. The rules state a driver needs to attempt every race to be eligible for the playoffs, so he can keep the win, but he can’t win a championship.

WJW Motorsports

This is what, the sixth article in a row with this incident as its focus? Call me when TV/Media stop profiting from the circus. Reddick’s “won’t anyone think about the poor children” trope takes the cake. He’ll keep taking his corp/media money – that all comes from the short lived flood of attention from some good old controversy. ESPN won’t cover it if Dillon does the classy, respectful thing and races like a gentleman, and NASCAR won’t reward it. Do kids in general see a a lot of classy respectful acts being rewarded nowadays-or do they see people just taking for themselves?

Carl D.

Sure, neither Hamlin nor Logano have squeaky clean driving records of their own, but that doesn’t change how blatantly obvious Dillon’s actions were.”

Exactly.

Excellent article, Stephen.

gbvette62

I love this line from the article “Sure, neither Hamlin nor Logano have squeaky clean driving records of their own, but that doesn’t change how blatantly obvious Dillon’s actions were.” So I guess because Hamblin and Logano are more subtle when they wreck someone it’s okay, but because Dillon was blatant it’s not? What Dillon did was complete crap, but if NASCAR’s going to allow people to intentionally “move” or wreck other drivers, then it shouldn’t make any difference how blatant it was.

Personally I think he should have been disqualified, had 50 or 100 points taken away from him and the team, and he and “Pop Pop” should be heavily fined, and I was once a big fan of Childress and RCR.

Steve

Apparently, it will take someone getting injured or killed before Nascar will put a stop to this crap.

MICHAEL H CARTER

NASCAR is so phony!!!! EARNHARTD won half of his races knocking people out o fhis way,so have the 11and22!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gbvette62

While I remember a lot of incidents involving Earnhardt, I don’t remember too many where he intentionally wrecked someone for a win. The most famous was probably him spinning Terry Labonte at Bristol in 99. I was there and what people tend to forget is that Labonte got into Earnhardt the lap before, running him up the track to take the lead, and door banging him on the way by. He also got Labonte in the left quarter, not the right like Dillon. A few years earlier at Bristol, Earnhardt spun Labonte at the finish but Labonte won. This was the famous race where Rusty threw a water bottle at Earnhardt after the race.

Earnhardt raced people hard and did a lot of bumping and banging, but usually only did it with drivers who raced him the same way, in particular Rusty, DW, Geoff Bodine, and Terry Labonte. Earnhardt didn’t have to rough up people, just seeing the black number 3 in their mirror was all it took for most drivers to give way.

Brian

I am not 100% sure but Logano and Hamlin’s previous actions to get a win did not involve a full and complete wrecking of the other car(s) involved. Most if not all were true bump and run’s and yes car took really loose but did not fully wreck.
The data from the 3 car is all the evidence NASCAR should need to disqualify it’s participation in the playoffs. There is no other reasonable action to take. Like someone else said if this is not punished in some way. There is nothing to keep the “four place” driver at Phoenix from wrecking the other three.
NASCAR becomes completely illegitimate if there is any penalty for this action due to Dillon’s behavior standing.

MikeinAZ

“NASCAR Is at a Crossroads”

Yes they are. Not doing anything about what Dillon did to Logano will be a huge mistake and tell drivers that they can get away with making that move for a win. But either way, after Commala (unfortunately) wins and forces NASCAR to batteries and electric motors, that will seal NASCAR’s fate.

Last edited 2 months ago by MikeinAZ